100AH/12V/c 20 Wet Solar Battery

Check the charging voltage from the solar charger while it is charging the battery. It should be at least 13.5V, up to about 14.5 for a faster charge. It sounds like your problems started when you went from the automotive charger to the solar charger. Is that correct? That would indicate that the battery has enough capacity for the load, but that the solar charger may not have the capacity to fully charge it.

You can measure the state of charge in a lead-acid battery by measuring the specific gravity of the acid.

My solar charger is on/off type made by EURO SOLAR MANUFACTURER.It accept input voltage from 16VDC.The charging voltage is 13.8VDC if you measure it.The problem started slowly even when I was charging it with Automotive charger.I did not mind because I knew that the owner of this auto charge always does not charge it up to fully charge.Even if I shifted it to my solar panel/charger I did not worry about it because the 30W panel could not charge it to full charge.That is why I replaced the the acid before connecting it to 5x30W pv panels,the one which can charge it to full charge according to my calculation,provided that I receive the bright sunlight 8hrs.The specific gravity is ok,as recommended by manufacturer.The same battery I replaced is doing fine(new).

DO NOT REPLACE BATTERY ACID.

The specific gravity needed is dependent upon the state of the charge.......that is, its VERY variable!!!

NEVER USE AUTO BATTERY CHARGERS UNLESS YOU HAVE A VOLTMETER ATTACHED AND YOU ARE WATCHING. It is dangerous for the health of the battery....

The room where battery is,is very well ventillated.The specific gravity is within the limits and all cells are in the same level as recommended by manufacturer(Chloride Oxide Battery manuf.) Thax 4 your comment.

Seems as if the battery has been destroyed. Did you connect the panels in series? How many hours of sunlight do you get? When you get a new battery, get a proper charge controller. A discharged 100AH battery can be charged at 50 amps for 1 1/2 hrs then at 5 amps to complete the charge (5 hrs).

The panels are connected in parallel,I get 8hrs of bright sunlight.I have the same proper charge contoller which is doing fine for the new 100Ah battery.

Thax for you comment

The charging current is about 8.5A(150W panels).Load current is about o.45A,I run this load for a max of 3hrs at night.Thax 4 you comment

Wet cell storage batteries are probably the worst for solar. Consider an AGM or a GEL if you have a great deal of money. AGM is the middle of the road battery. Also consider getting a charge controller to aid you from overcharging. As to the PM discharge, Check all of the cannibal users, namely everything with instant on. It is the biggest stealer of power, and can be remedied by switching off the power strip before bedtime. Hughes Net devices rob power since they are on 24 hours; same for dish network. Another solution is the solution. If you are located where it is freezing cold at night, temperature will make the electrolyte gel up and lose capacity. Consider an electric type space heater in proximity. A small one will do without robbing too much. I am assuming batteries are in a protected container or shed. Risk of an explosion is high if placed too close to bank. Consider this before making a decision.

Wet cells are the most suitable for Solar as the charging voltage can be set higher than for a Gel, the gel will swell up like a pregnant sardine if you go above it's recommended voltage. - The realities of most Solar is that the cell can be discharged quite deeply, - requiring a higher finish voltage, which you can't give the gel, and an AGM is developed for rough handling, ie golf carts, and is an unnecessary expense. Changing the acid in a flat battery, where all the acid has been changed, (simplistically) to water, will make the acid twice as strong, harder to charge, as the gradient is steeper, and with that strong acid attacking the plates, they won't last long. First lesson is, Don't listen to your mates, the lead acid battery has been around for a very long time and is well understood by concerned workers in this field, - however rumours and snake oil cures have multiplied during that period, - don't believe them. Cheers, Geoff Thomas.

Sorry Thobias you have severely damaged your battery by changing the electrolyte. Try taking it back to where you bought it and ask for a replacement as it does not hold its charge. They may give you a new one, refurbish the old one or tell you to go away. You can then either live with the battery as it is or buy a new more suitable replacement. If you decide to buy a new one ask the forum for their advice.

I have the same new one already.Thanx 4 for you comment

Try aluminum sulfate 1 cup to a gallon of hot distilled water cleanup your battery 5 times to remove residues of the acid

im using only 10 watts solar monocrystalline to charge 12 v 7 ah sla battery and at night time this battery charge 500 ah batteries using bedini ssg

Dear totolas,

Thanks for you message.Where can I get this chemical?,also I am not clear the next procedures after cleanup with this chemical,please give more details.

Hi Thobias,

Please go to energetic forum John bedini's Alum Bateery thread rich info and well tested for 14 years mine right away with a new 70 ah battery .. The chemical usually fcome from pool supplier of chemicals this Alum sulpfate is + charge used in dosing / filtration in swimming pools

after 5 flushing with distilled water boil some distilled water to dissolve 1 cup of alum sulfate to 1 gal of distilled water ( this is my short cut method depends on how heavy the sulfation is so you need to peek on the thread to follow ) pour in the plated with the top plate filled 1 cm hydrometer is useless after this

hope this help

Ok Totolas thank you.

GA

GA

Batteries have their own quirks. Some function very well for long periods and some won't. For solar systems, production of electrical power from PV panels is far cheaper than the storage - in your case, a lead acid battery.

I am actually toying with the idea of using solar PV panel to run a pump directly to pump water from a sump, into an overhead tank. This stored water can be sent back to the sump, in a closed circuit system, through a micro generator. I was told that a generator could double up as a motor too. I do not know where such are available, especially in 3 figure watts (Less than 1000 watts). This system would be highly efficient, ecologically acceptable and clean technology that does not involve use of acid, lead etc.

Any comment from knowledgeable members will be most welcome

Good idea, Gadepalli; gravity the relentless force, may it be with you.

Dear Gadepalli, your hydro idea is fine, widely used in big systems, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumped-storage_hydroelectricity But, significant losses, the generator has losses, the pump has losses, the pipes to and from have losses, the regenerator has further losses, - they are cumulative like compound interest, I don't know what equipment you have, but would guess you would be lucky to get 60% efficiency, whereas despite your comment of lead acid quirks, if you take the time to research the right lead acid battery for your situation (suggest Tubular Positive), you will easily get 95% efficiency and recycling of 98% of lead acid batteries material is now being achieved, so don't rush in. Cheers, Geoff.

Seems as if the battery has been destroyed. Did you connect the panels in series? How many hours of sunlight do you get? When you get a new battery, get a proper charge controller. A discharged 100AH battery can be charged at 50 amps for 1 1/2 hrs then at 5 amps to complete the charge (5 hrs).